An armored carrier or other transport entity may scan a remotely-readable identification tag, such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, of each monetary package being picked up and/or delivered. The scanner used by the armored carrier may notify the armored carrier if one of the monetary packages goes out of range without being checked out, such as within a period of time. Also, if that monetary package is not returned within range within a particular period of time, the scanner may automatically notify a centralized system. The scanner may further be aware of scheduled monetary packages to be picked up. If not all of the monetary packages as expected are picked up, then the scanner may also notify the armored carrier.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method, comprising: receiving data representing a plurality of identifiers of monetary packages scheduled for pickup, the plurality being based on a location of a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner and a time schedule of the monetary packages scheduled for pickup; wirelessly detecting, by the RFID scanner, a presence of RFID tags of a plurality of monetary packages at the location, each of the RFID tags indicating an identifier; responsive to a subsequent loss of detected presence of one of the RFID tags, generating a first alert; determining whether the presence of the one of the RFID tags is again detected, and if not, then generating a second alert; comparing the identifiers of the detected RFID tags with the plurality of identifiers; and responsive to determining that the detected identifiers of the RFID tags match the plurality of identifiers, wirelessly sending data representing a status of each of the detected identifiers of the RFID tags.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first alert comprises generating an audible alert, and generating the second alert comprises wirelessly transmitting data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the second alert comprises wirelessly transmitting data representing the identifier of the one of the RFID tags.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining comprises determining whether the presence of the one of the RFID tags is again detected within a predetermined period of time, and if not, then generating the second alert.
5. An apparatus, comprising: a global positioning system device configured to determine a location of the apparatus; a radio frequency transmitter configured to send data identifying the determined location; a radio frequency receiver configured to receive radio frequency transmissions from identification tags of a plurality of monetary packages, and to receive data representing a plurality of identifiers of monetary packages scheduled for pickup, the plurality being based on the determined location and a time schedule of the monetary packages scheduled for pickup; an audio output device; and a controller configured to: determine whether the radio frequency transmissions are continuing to be detected by the radio frequency receiver, responsive to determining that one of the radio frequency transmissions has discontinued as detected by the radio frequency receiver, cause the audio output device to emit sound, determine whether the one of the radio frequency transmissions as detected by the radio frequency receiver have begun again, and if not, cause the radio frequency transmitter to transmit first data, compare identifiers of the plurality of identification tags with the plurality of identifiers represented by the received data, and responsive to determining that the identifiers of the plurality of identification tags match the plurality of identifiers represented by the received data, causing the radio frequency transmitter to wirelessly transmit data representing a status of each of the identifiers of the plurality of identification tags.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , the radio frequency transmissions comprise second data representing the identifiers of the monetary packages.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the first data responsive to determining that the one of the radio frequency transmissions as detected by the radio frequency receiver has not begun again within a predetermined period of time.
8. A method, comprising: receiving, by a radio frequency receiver of an apparatus, data representing a plurality of identifiers of monetary packages scheduled for pickup, the plurality being based on a location of the apparatus and a time schedule of the monetary packages scheduled for pickup; wirelessly detecting, by the apparatus, a presence of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags of a plurality of monetary packages at the location, each of the RFID tags indicating an identifier; responsive to a subsequent loss of detected presence of one of the RFID tags, generating by the apparatus a first alert; determining, by the apparatus, whether the presence of the one of the RFID tags is again detected, and if not, then generating by the apparatus a second alert; comparing, by the apparatus, the identifiers of the detected RFID tags with the plurality of identifiers; and responsive to determining that the detected identifiers of the RFID tags match the plurality of identifiers, wirelessly sending, by a radio frequency transmitter of the apparatus, data representing a status of each of the detected identifiers of the RFID tags.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the first alert comprises generating an audible alert, and generating the second alert comprises wirelessly transmitting data.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the second alert comprises wirelessly transmitting by the radio frequency transmitter data representing the identifier of the one of the RFID tags.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining comprises determining whether the presence of the one of the RFID tags is again detected within a predetermined period of time, and if not, then generating the second alert.
12. An apparatus, comprising: a radio frequency transmitter configured to send data identifying a location of the apparatus; a radio frequency receiver configured to receive radio frequency transmissions from identification tags of a plurality of monetary packages, and to receive data representing a plurality of identifiers of monetary packages scheduled for pickup, the plurality being based on the location of the apparatus and a time schedule of the monetary packages scheduled for pickup; an audio output device; and a controller configured to: determine whether the radio frequency transmissions are continuing to be detected by the radio frequency receiver, responsive to determining that one of the radio frequency transmissions has discontinued as detected by the radio frequency receiver, cause the audio output device to emit sound, determine whether the one of the radio frequency transmissions as detected by the radio frequency receiver have begun again, and if not, cause the radio frequency transmitter to transmit first data, compare identifiers of the plurality of identification tags with the plurality of identifiers represented by the received data, and responsive to determining that the identifiers of the plurality of identification tags match the plurality of identifiers represented by the received data, causing the radio frequency transmitter to wirelessly transmit data representing a status of each of the identifiers of the plurality of identification tags.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , the radio frequency transmissions comprise second data representing the identifiers of the monetary packages.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the first data responsive to determining that the one of the radio frequency transmissions as detected by the radio frequency receiver has not begun again within a predetermined period of time.
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October 31, 2008
January 10, 2012
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